Newspaper Clippings
by MelanieeeR
Summary: ONESHOT Thatcher Grey reads the Sunday paper. Merder! and ThatcherSusan slightly. Not really a pairing fic.


_Hey everyone! this is my first Grey's fic and it's a oneshot basically focusing on Thatcher Grey and his lack of a relationshyip with Meredith. Totally random, the thought hit me this morning so i thought i'd post it just for fun. sorry for any bad spelling etc and if anyone has trouble with anything just ask. Otherwise please review, i heart reviews._

_ENJOY!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own grey's anatomy or any of the characters relating to the show. if i did it would be showing season three episodes in australia and i would own the season two boxset. since neither of those aren't in the cards until 2007 i'll use settle for owning the characters Katherine, Joshua, Andrew, Lillian and Melanie._

* * *

2006

It was a sunny spring Sunday morning when Thatcher Grey opened up his newspaper like always and quickly scanned the notices section.

This was a weekly ritual, first he would tackle the local, national and international news sections, then the travel section, spend a good 40 minutes in the sport section then finish with the notices. It was his Sunday ritual and every Sunday was the same, expect this one.

_**Engagements**_

_**Dr Derek Shepard and Dr Meredith Grey announce their engagement after 2 years of dating. Both meet at the Emerald City bar, across from Seattle Grace Hospital where both are surgeons on Seattle Grace's Neuro staff. A date hasn't been set.**_

He read this twice, three times, four times, and five times, until he grabs the kitchen scissors are carefully cut the small notice out. He dates it and quietly places it in a box in his study, deciding that he would call Meredith the next morning and offer his congratulations. That thought slowly fades as he turns off his study light.

* * *

2008

Something's different this Sunday, as it always is when his daughter Lexie is over. She's staying in Seattle this week before continuing her studies at Harvard Med. So this weekend he reads the newspaper backwards. First he starts with the notices. His stomach churns when he reads a notice which is paired with a small but clear picture.

_**Marriage**_

**_Dr Derek Shepard and Dr Meredith Grey said their vows yesterday afternoon after2 years of dating and 2 years of engagement. The pair both met while working at Seattle Grace Hospital where they are both Neuro surgeons. The ceremony took place at St Martha's chapel in town and the reception took place on a ferryboat during sunset. The wedding party consisted of Dr Cristina Yang, Dr Isobel Stevens, Dr Mark Sloan and Dr Preston Burke with Jacob Burke and Jane Sloan as pageboy and flower girl. Mr and Mrs Shepard will spend their honeymoon in Venice._**

Thatcher's heart was in his throat as he looked at his daughters smiling face as she hugged her new husband in the photo. Derek Shepard wasn't looking towards Thatcher in the picture but instead at his new wife with a huge smile on his face. Meredith was wearing an off the shoulder, white gown; similar to the one Molly wore at her wedding and she looked gorgeous just like Molly had, maybe even more because Meredith was older.

His daughter's hair was darker than it had been 4 years ago and she hadn't had the same twinkle in her eye has she did in the photo.

Carefully Thatcher eyed Lexie who was reading the news section. Quietly he rolled up the notices section of the paper, told his daughter that there was something he needed to do and walked out of the kitchen, and into his study.

Carefully he cut out the notice and picture and placed it in the same box like he had 2 years earlier, with the thought to send a card to Meredith with his congratulations; maybe this was his chance to know his eldest daughter – and her new husband. But like before that thought disappeared when Lexie yelled out that she was finished with the news section.

* * *

2007

Thatcher did a double take when he read this week's birth notice.

**_Dr Derek Shepard and Dr Meredith Grey-Shepard welcomed a bouncy baby girl into their family this Tuesday at 4.30pm. Katherine Ellis weighed in at 5 pounds after a 10 hour labour. This is their first child. Both mother and child are well._**

Carefully Thatcher cut out yet another notice and placed it in the same box, with the 2 other clippings. He should tell Susan, and then he just knew that she would send one of those baby packages to Meredith – another opportunity for him to get to know his daughter and new grand-daughter.

* * *

2010

Know he knew that someone upstairs was upset with him when he read the notice in the Sunday paper.

_**Dr Derek Shepard and Dr Meredith Grey-Shepard welcomed a bouncy baby boy into their family yesterday morning at 1am. Joshua Michael is the couple's second child, their daughter Katherine is 3. Both mother and child are well.**_

With a heavy heart he cut out the birth notice of the grandchildren who was born the same day as his other daughter suffered a miscarriage. The notice went in the box. This time maybe he would send a card and not tell Susan; she was upset about the miscarriage and news of Meredith's baby might not go so well with her.

* * *

2011

_**Dr Derek Shepard and Dr Meredith Grey-Shepard welcomed a bouncy baby boy into their family at 6am on Thursday morning. Andrew James is the couple's third child, their daughter Katherine is 4 and their son Joshua is 1. Both mother and child are well.**_

He read the words, and it was almost automatic when he grabbed the scissors and cut out the notice. He knew he should tell Susan about this habit of his but he knew he couldn't. Thatcher looked at all the yellowing pieces of newspaper clippings and felt his stomach churn at all his opportunities he should have taken to get to know his daughter and grandchildren. He should really stop reading the notice section of the Sunday paper.

* * *

2016

It was again Sunday morning, and it had been years since the notice section of the Sunday paper had been touched in the Grey household. That was except when Lexie or Molly was visiting. This Sunday it was Lexie who was sitting at the kitchen across from Thatcher, reading the notice section. "Hey dad, you know the fellowship I was trying to get at Seattle Grace" Lexie asked, making her father look up from the paper.

"Yeah?" "Well she just had twins!" said Lexie with a grin on her face. "Look here" she said, passing the paper to her father. Thatcher didn't realise that his hands were shaking as he took the paper.

**_Dr Derek Shepard and Dr Meredith Grey welcome twin girls; Lilian Grace and Melanie Annie to their family. The twins are the couples 4th and 5th children, their daughter Katherine is 9 and sons Joshua and Andrew are 6 and 5 respectfully. There were mild complications during the birth but both mother and babies are currently doing well in recovery._**

"Can you believe I was there with both of them when they found out it was twins. I'll never forget how pissed she was with him about. But of course they love each other so much that she's over it. Their daughter, Katie, was there. Beautiful kids, looks just like her father…" that was all Thatcher heard as he grabbed the paper and walked into his study, leaving Lexie in the kitchen.

Thatcher cut the notice out, breathing heavily to try and contain the emotions running through him.

_Lexie had meet Meredith, her husband and daughter_

_Meredith had met Lexie_

_Meredith had twin girls_

_Meredith had 5 children_

_There complications during the labour_

_Meredith and his grand-daughters could have died!_

He had no right to think about his daughter and grand-daughters dying though. There had been so many chances when he could have gained that right. The engagement, marriage, Katherine, Joshua, Andrew and now the twins.

But it was too late.

* * *

2013

"Thatcher, honey I think you should read this" Susan said quietly, one Sunday morning.

Thatcher looked down at the newspaper in fount of him.

It wasn't the notices page, it was the national news.

_**Dr Ellis Grey, Founder of the Grey Method dies at 69**_

_**Dr Ellis Grey, known thought the medical community as the founder of the Grey Method, died last night at the age of 69. Grey has been suffering from Alzheimer's disease for the past 17 years and finally lost her battle after contracting influenza. Her daughter Dr Meredith Grey-Shepard was by her side at the time of her pasting.**_

**_Grey's funeral is at St Martha's chapel on Tuesday the 6th at 12.30pm. All are welcome. Her daughter Dr Meredith Grey-Shepard and her husband Dr Derek Shepard extend an invite to all who knew Ellis personally for afternoon tea at their place._**

_**Ellis Grey – beloved mother, grandmother, friend and surgeon**_

_**She will be missed **_

"We… You should go Thatcher, not for Ellis but for Meredith…"

"And for Meredith's children"

"This is your chance to get to know them Thatch, don't let it slip otherwise you'll just have those ratty newspaper clippings"

"trust me, I'm not going to let this one slip"


End file.
